thebigcheese Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi all,Long time, no chat. I was working in my school theatre rigging up a show over the weekend and one of the effects that was called for was a half moon gobo to be projected on the cyc. Due to the availability or rather the unavailability of sockets it was decided by the guy running it to fix it to a scaff bar mounted from one of the side boxes to have the optimum angle and distance for the cyc. This is the result: http://images6.theimagehosting.com/100_1466.jpg I told him I did not think it was safe to which he replied that there was nowhere else to put it. I also suggested putting another 'joint' at the end of the bar to help suspend it from another bar we have in the ceiling, his reply 'well that would work if we had any more'. To me it looks very dangerous especially it is about 4 metres off the ground, also the theatre is where the assemblies take place and kids are often under where it is hung from. Bearing in mind that the guy who hanged it has been working part time in theatre for many numbers of years, I was just wondering if it is unsafe, and if it is, just how unsafe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturnx21 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi Certainly looks pretty unsafe to me. :P You wouldn't see me stood anywhere close......... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pritch Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Given the fact that it's already got a bit of an alpine gradient on it, I'd be surprised if that profile was still where it was left when you get back in to the theatre tomorrow! TRS is not supposed to be used for secondary suspension! Edit: Hmmm, that would make a good signature... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyandi Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Exactly my thought - if the clamp failed even with the safety chain it would slide off the pole & be left dangling from its cable - you beat me too it! :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben... Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I was just wondering if it is unsafeIt's unsafe. ] and if it is, just how unsafe.Unsafe enough not to do it that way :P It really is bad. Please take it down (carefully.) (edit: To expand - as others say below, there's nothing intrinsically wrong with booms made of scaff, but the structure in this case is clearly unsuitable.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 THEORETICALLY, this should be safe, BUT there are a couple of IFs... (and BUTs) It will be safe IF:The vertical barrel is very securely fixed to the wall/balcony and IF the right-angled scaff clamp is a fixed right-angle not a swivel of any kind. BUT:As the extension pipe is quite lengthy, and the lantern (not a lightweight one at that) is near the end, it's putting a heck of a strain on that single fixing point to the vertical. and BUT:The vertical appears NOT to be in fact vertical, which suggests that said strain is pulling the whole thing over, and possibly weaking fixings etc. Personally, if this guy isn't willing to modify the hanging arrangement, I would raise this issue ASAP with a senior staff member and point out this is an accident not just waiting to happen, but it's getting poised to pounce!! Appreciate the fact that as a student you've maybe not got a lot of clout, but it MUST be put right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 The thing is, conceptually, this might not be a problem. I would have no hesitation putting a lantern on a boom arm which is effectively the same thing. The problem is in the execution. The lantern (a Prelude?) is a long, long way out there. It has a hell of a lot of leverage on that joint. The result being the rather nasty slope that we see in the picture. Why does the cable look so tight? Please tell me it's not taking any load... Anyway, I'd say that there's nothing wrong in that pic that a couple of swivel clamps and a short stub of scaff won't fix. Triangulate the arm and make it vertical - basically spread the load across two points on the vertical barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 The school at which I'm a staff member has a Safety Officer, in our case the Site Manager. Do you not have one? If so draw it to his attention. If not you should speak to a member of the school's management. You shouldn't let it drop (figuratively and literally!) as following it up will improve your skill in dealing with any similar situation that may arise in future. Just don't belittle the guy who did it (bad manners). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigcheese Posted November 6, 2006 Author Share Posted November 6, 2006 Well, I have printed your replies and will hand it to the head of drama first thing tommorow. The thing is he was there when it was put up and he didn't say anything about it. Thanks for your quite swift replies and will report back tommorow with what he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Looked at it, and at first, thought that it was unistrut with a clamp on the end attached to the bar, then realised it wasn't a support, and was infact TRS. Would be interested to see the RA for that!?! :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 what is it then? all my attempts to see it have failed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviljohn2 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 It's a TRS plug and socket. I too thought it was a legit hanging clamp to start with. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Rehosted for ease: http://homepage.mac.com/bryson430/.Public/slanty.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Rehosted for ease:The lantern isn't a Prelude, methinks - a little larger than that - can't quite make out the white logo - ADB, perhaps?And the TRS isn't actually that tight - you can see the loop lying casually atop the scaff.As the OP originally says, though, there is (apparently) no more kit for additional support - ie either 2 clamps & short scaff to triangulate, or 2 clamps & longer scaff to tie to the higher cross-barrel. However, even a properly terminated length of aircraft cable would have been better than this - is it maybe a case of laissez faire on the part of the paid employee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 http://homepage.mac.com/bryson430/.Public/slantycloseup.jpg Looks like a Rank Strand logo on the back, but possibly not a Prelude. Hmmmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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